to move past; go by: to pass another car on the road.
to let go without notice, action, remark, etc.; leave unconsidered; disregard; overlook: Pass chapter two and go on to chapter three.
to omit the usual or regular payment of: The company decided to pass its dividend in the third quarter of the year.
to cause or allow to go through or beyond a gate, barrier, etc.: The guard checked the identification papers and then passed the visitor.
to go across or over (a stream, threshold, etc.); cross.
to endure or undergo: They passed the worst night of their lives.
to undergo or complete successfully: to pass an examination.
to cause or permit to complete successfully (an investigation, examination, course of study, etc.): I am passing the whole class this term.
to go beyond (a point, degree, stage, etc.); transcend; exceed; surpass.
to cause to go or extend farther: to pass a rope through a hole.
to cause to go, move, or march by: to pass troops in review.
to allot to oneself (a portion of time); spend: He decided to pass a year abroad.
to live through, utilize, or fill; occupy oneself during: How to pass the time?
to cause to circulate or spread; disseminate: to pass rumors.
to cause to be accepted or received: to pass a worthless check.
to convey, transfer, or transmit; deliver (often followed by on): Pass this memo on after reading it.
to convey from one person, hand, etc., to another: Please pass the salt.
to pledge: to pass one's word of honor to remain loyal.
to utter, pronounce, or speak: She passed a remark about every passerby.
to cause to go through something, as a process or agency: to pass returning travelers through customs.
to discharge or void from the body, as excrement or a kidney stone.
to sanction or approve, especially by vote: Congress passed the bill.
to obtain the approval or sanction of (a legislative body, committee, etc.), especially by a vote: The bill passed Congress on the second vote.
to express or pronounce, as an opinion: to pass judgment without knowing the facts.
Law. to place legal title or interest in (another) by a conveyance, a will, or other transfer.
(in feats of magic) to perform a pass on.
Tennis. to make a passing shot against (an opponent).
Sports. to transfer (the ball or puck) to a teammate.
Bullfighting. (of a bullfighter) to provoke and guide the charge of (a bull) with the capa or especially the muleta.
verb (used without object)
to go or move onward; proceed.
to come to or toward, then go beyond: to pass by a shop; to pass through town.
to go away; depart: The dizzy feeling will pass in a minute.
to elapse or slip by; be spent: The day passed very quickly for him.
to come to an end: The crisis soon passed.
to die.
to take place; happen; occur: What passed while I was on vacation?
to go by or move past: The funeral procession passed slowly.
to go about or circulate; be current.
to serve as a marginally acceptable substitute: The facsimile isn't very good but it will pass.
to live or be known as a member of a racial, religious, or ethnic group other than one's own, especially to live and be known as a white person although of Black ancestry.
to be transferred or conveyed: The crown passed to the king's nephew.
to be interchanged, as between two persons: Sharp words passed between them.
to undergo transition or conversion: to pass from a solid to a liquid state.
to go or get through a barrier, test, course of study, etc., successfully: Of the twenty who took the exam, only twelve passed.
to go unheeded, unchallenged, or unremarked on: He decided to let the insult pass.
to express or pronounce an opinion, judgment, verdict, etc. (usually followed by on or upon): Will you pass on the authenticity of this drawing?
to be voided, as excrement or a kidney stone.
to obtain the vote of approval or sanction of a legislative body, official committee, or the like: The new tax bill finally passed.
Law.
(of a member of an inquest or other deliberative body) to sit (usually followed by on or upon): to pass on a case of manslaughter.
to adjudicate.
to vest title or other legal interest in real or personal property in a new owner.
to throw a ball from one person to another, as in a game of catch.
Sports. to make a pass, as in football or ice hockey.
Cards.
to forgo one's opportunity to bid, play, etc.
to throw in one's hand.
FencingObsolete. to thrust or lunge.
noun
an act of passing.
a narrow route across a relatively low notch or depression in a mountain barrier.
a road, channel, or other way providing a means of passage, as through an obstructed region or other barrier.
a navigable channel, as at the mouth or in the delta of a river.
a permission or license to pass, go, come, or enter.
Military.
a military document granting the right to cross lines or to enter or leave a military or naval base or building.
written authority given a soldier to leave a station or duty for a specified period of time.
a free ticket or permit: two passes to a concert; a railroad pass.
South African. reference book (def. 2).
Chiefly British. the act of passing a university or school examination or course without honors or distinction.
Sports. the transfer of a ball or puck from one teammate to another.
Baseball. base on balls.
Fencing. a thrust or lunge.
a single movement, effort, maneuver, etc.: He made a pass at the control tower of the enemy airfield.
Informal.
a gesture, action, or remark that is intended to be sexually inviting; amorous overture.
a jab or poke with the arm, especially one that misses its mark.
Cards. the act or statement of not bidding or raising another bid: There have been two passes and now it's your bid.
(in feats of magic)
a passing of the hand over, along, or before anything.
the transference or changing of objects by or as by sleight of hand; a manipulation, as of a juggler.
a particular stage or state of affairs: The economic situation had come to a dreadful pass.
Bullfighting. a pase.
one passage of a tool over work or one passage of work through a machine.
Archaic. a witty remark or thrust.
Mining. an opening for delivering coal or ore to a lower level underground.
Verb Phrases
pass along / throughto add (incurred extra costs or expenses) to the amount charged a client or customer: Airlines were passing along the sudden increase in fuel prices.
pass away,
to cease; end: All this trouble will pass away.
to die: He passed away during the night.
pass for / asto be accepted as; be considered: material that passed for silk;The candidate could pass as Latino or Anglo, appealing to both constituencies.
pass off,
to present or offer (something) under false pretenses; dispose of deceptively: to pass off a spurious de Kooning on a gullible buyer.
to cause to be accepted or received under a false identity: He passed himself off as a doctor.
to cease gradually; end: The headache passed off in the late afternoon.
to disregard or ignore.
to continue to completion; occur: The meeting passed off without incident.
pass on,to die: The patient passed on after a long illness.
pass over,
to disregard; ignore: Just pass over the first part of his letter.
to fail to take notice of, consider, or choose: He was passed over for the promotion.
pass up,to refuse or neglect to take advantage of; reject: The opportunity may not come again, so don't pass it up.
Idioms for pass
bring to pass, to cause to happen; bring about: His wife's death brought to pass a change in his attitude toward religion.
come to pass, to occur; happen: Strange things came to pass.
pass muster. muster (def. 11).
pass out, Informal.
to lose consciousness; faint.
to die; pass away.
to distribute, especially individually by hand: to pass out discount coupons on a street corner.
to walk or march out or through; leave or exit by means of: The graduates will pass out the center aisle after receiving their diplomas. Pass out this door and turn left.
to be exempted or promoted from: Jerry passed out of freshman composition on the basis of his entering essay.
Origin of pass
First recorded in 1175–1225; (verb) Middle English passen, from Old French passer, from unattested Vulgar Latin passāre, derivative of Latin passus “step, pace” (see pace1;); (noun) Middle English; in part from Middle French passe (noun derivative of passer ), in part from Middle English, noun derivative of passen